AEW Worlds Finish 2024
December 28, 2024
Addition Monetary Enviornment
Orlando, Florida
Watch: PPV/TrillerTV/YouTube/PPV.com
Meet our reviewers
Fred Morlan: Fred is the co-host of The Good, the Unhealthy, and the Hungee, the AEW podcast on the Voices of Wrestling Podcast Community. You possibly can take heed to it in your favourite podcatcher or on YouTube.
Go well with Williams: You possibly can learn Go well with’s long-form previews and opinions of wrestling from all over the world right here at Voices of Wrestling. It’s also possible to discover his weekly opinions of AEW Collision over at F4WOnline. Try his brand-new wrestling weblog Williams Watches Wrestling, the place he’ll have interaction in watch initiatives and overview requests like Williams Watches WrestleMania each Wednesday. Final week, he reviewed Wrestlemania 21, that includes John Cena and Batista’s first World Title wins and the primary Cash In The Financial institution Ladder Match. Huh, Christian was in that one too. Comply with Go well with on all social media platforms @SuitWilliams.
AEW Worlds Finish 2024 Zero Hour
Toni Storm def. Leila Gray
Fred: Hey, keep in mind when WCW did an amnesia angle with Cactus Jack and it ended up on each “because of this WCW sucked and deserved to die” listing ever created?
As you most likely know, Toni’s doing a gimmick the place she’s fully forgotten that she was ever in AEW earlier than, not to mention the Timeless character which she established in October 2023. I feel one of many weak factors of AEW this yr was that each girls’s championships had been in storylines which have gone on for a very long time and might be described as divisive to the fan base.
Toni bought the win by countering right into a small package deal. This was competent however completely forgettable. There was one spot the place Gray lined up for a second-rope blockbuster however seemingly stood there for eons earlier than hitting it. **
Go well with: Toni Storm opened Worlds Finish right here with Leila Gray, working as a gap match wrestler as a part of this reversion to her unique gimmick. My latest column on her induced a little bit of a stir, however I don’t perceive what this gimmick accomplishes. We are able to all safely assume that Storm will problem Mariah Might on the Australia present in February. So why have this goofy diversion as an alternative of getting Storm come again filled with piss and vinegar to get revenge? I bought so many feedback in regards to the story this amnesia tells when the story has already been instructed. Storm let Mariah in, and Mariah performed her to get the belt. The story SHOULD be Storm coming again for revenge, however as an alternative, we’re enjoying grabass and doing schtick.
Storm gained a standard-issue TV match with an inside cradle on a suplex try. **
AEW Worlds Finish 2024 Zero Hour
Jeff Jarrett def. QT Marshall
Fred: I imply this in the absolute best manner: that is the dream match for commencement from wrestling faculty. Each guys labored their roles to perfection and the match construction was precisely what it wanted to be for this match on this spot with these two guys. The end got here when Jay Deadly stored Aaron Solo from handing QT Marshall the guitar, which shortly led to Jarrett hitting the Stroke and getting the pin. Utterly competent. **
Go well with: This match spun out of the QT Marshall/”Black Machismo” Jay Deadly match from Last Battle final week. These two would have had the identical match at any indie within the nation, they simply so occurred to be on the distinguished Worlds Finish Zero Hour. Aaron Solo tried to intervene, Jay Deadly ran him off, and Jarrett Stroked Marshall to get the win. *1/2
AEW Worlds Finish 2024 Zero Hour
Lio Rush, Motion Andretti, and Homicide Machines (Lance Archer and Brian Cage) def. The Outrunners (Fact Magnum and Turbo Floyd) and High Flight (Darius Martin and Dante Martin)
Fred: An okay pre-show is concluded by its greatest match, however one which I wouldn’t suggest going out of your manner for. It had stable work all through, and the go residence stretch was robust, however I wouldn’t go as far as to name this greater than above common. Lio Rush blind tagged in on Lance Archer, bought a frog splash for the win, after which Personal Get together got here out to tease a match. **3/4
If you happen to’re like me and imagine {that a} robust pre-show will increase the buys of a pay-per-view, then you definitely gained’t actually see this impact for this present. If you happen to skip this, there isn’t a single match that may depart you wanting.
Go well with: This was a effective little pre-show match. Rush stole the pin from Archer as Rush and Andretti head in direction of a tag title shot in opposition to Personal Get together, who got here out to stare them down after the match. The tag division nonetheless wants some focus, however Personal Get together are nonetheless getting good reactions once they come out, in order that they appear to be a stable base for this reboot. **1/2
Continental Basic Semifinal
Will Ospreay def. Kyle Fletcher
Fred: Ospreay did a hell of a blade job on this; the visible of Fletcher’s white boot lined in Ospreay’s blood after some Kawada kicks goes to be a memorable one from this present. Ospreay ended up on the Muta Scale. The group was completely enthralled in each close to fall on this match. An intricate set of counters resulted in Will Ospreay rolling into the Kinds Conflict place and hitting it for the pinfall. An prompt basic and a should see. *****1/4
The group was extraordinarily loud all through this. Far be it for me to recommend that feuds constructed round betrayal and excessive stage work may be the factor to construct your organization round, and but.
Go well with: Within the preview for this match, I stated:
“I don’t know if it’s honest to anticipate a match of comparable high quality between these two given the truth that considered one of them could have a second match, however I additionally don’t doubt two maniacs like these two guys to attempt to have two matches of that high quality on the identical evening.”
By no means EVER doubt Will Ospreay. These two had an unbelievable match right here, a match much more unbelievable with the data that Ospreay was working one other match later within the evening. They gave Fletcher a lot right here, having him minimize Ospreay open on a garden dart into the barricade. Ospreay’s comeback was phenomenal, as you noticed the group come alive each time he fought again and hit a giant transfer. Ospreay sprung a leak right here, with the blood including a ton to the emotion of the match. Fletcher appeared to have Ospreay lifeless to rights with a giant flurry in direction of the tip, however Ospreay countered a brainbuster right into a Kinds Conflict to attain the win.
Fletcher was phenomenal right here, as his flip has taken effectively together with his nice performances. However I want to speak about Will Ospreay some extra. I perceive build up some cache and a repute with the group, however my god, the time to maneuver Ospreay up into the actual deal predominant occasions is now. He’s The Man, everybody is aware of he’s The Man, and it is a firm in determined must have The Man because the centerpiece of the promotion. Fuck Mox, fuck Swerve, fuck Hangman – despite the fact that I like all of these guys. 2025 is the yr to make Will Ospreay the largest identify within the enterprise, sooner somewhat than later. *****
Continental Basic Semifinal
Kazuchika Okada © def. Ricochet
Fred: Okada & Ricochet drew the powerful job of following an absolute high tier match, and delivered one thing that was “solely” actually, actually good. I feel these two ought to have higher matches in them in the event that they ever meet up once more; we bought glimpses of New Japan Okada, however not the total drive of his talents. There was actually wonderful work right here, it was simply in a very unlucky spot by having to comply with the earlier match. Okada gained with the Rainmaker. ****1/4
After, Swerve got here out with a mic and referred to as out Ricochet for being a cocky jerk and promising he’d win the match. Nana comes out with a bunch of bathroom paper and palms it out to the entrance row followers, and Swerve leads them in wishing Ricochet “Comfortable New Yr” by throwing the rolls at Ricochet a la streamers. That must be a terrific feud to kick off subsequent yr, assuming they don’t pivot.
Go well with: Ricochet’s heel flip has felt so pure and natural. It’s like the corporate knew they needed to do one thing completely different with him the precise second the group determined they didn’t like Ricochet anymore. It’s an incidence of the promotion being in lockstep with the followers, which has grown rarer as time has gone on. The match itself was effective, with Okada being your babyface by default, enjoying off of Ricochet’s baldness for a straightforward pop. It nonetheless isn’t Rainmaker-quality, however you get what you get from Ameri-Kazu. Okada countered the Spirit Gun into an Emerald Flowsion, then hit the Rainmaker to win and transfer on to the finals of the match. ***1/2
After the match, Swerve Strickland got here out to shit discuss Ricochet, who had been shit speaking him on Dynamite the previous few weeks. Prince Nana handed bathroom paper to the followers within the entrance row, they usually all rolled him, leaving Ricochet stood in a bunch of bathroom paper to finish the phase. This is able to have been dorky if Swerve was much less over, however Swerve is tremendous over, so it labored.
Tijuana Avenue Battle – AEW Ladies’s World Championship
Mariah Might © def. Thunder Rosa
Fred: After I observed the bicycles by the tunnels when Thunder Rosa made her entrance, I feared this being full blown, WWE-style plunder nonsense the place they’d simply take turns hitting one another stuff with no actual emotion past simply getting their crap in. We fortuitously didn’t get that, or no less than of that, however this wasn’t as nice as Rosa’s greatest hardcore-type matches. This bought a bit meandering for some time, intermixed with some good, intense brawling. Rosa picked up the win by hitting a Storm Zero off the apron by means of a desk. This was very up and down – I can’t full suggest it, however it undoubtedly wasn’t unhealthy. ***¼
Nigel McGuinness is just some screams of “puppies!” away from simply being a carbon copy of Angle Period Jerry Lawler throughout Might matches. Possibly we may ease up on that.
Go well with: This match didn’t have a lot construct, and the group didn’t care that a lot in consequence. This was a backyard selection plunder match as Might continues to lack a standout, spotlight match as champion. Rosa introduced grime from “the graves of Tijuana” to the ring, and Might threw that grime in Rosa’s face earlier than piledriving her by means of a desk on the ground to retain the title. **
AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring
MJF © def. Adam Cole
Fred: Very similar to the annual Dynamite Diamond Ring match, the Cole-MJF feud has outlived its usefulness to AEW, however continues to exist. Tony Schiavone gave us an especially odd second on commentary, when he tried to kayfabe “the group is sitting on their palms” for MJF’s offense, however the crowd was largely into this match to a decent stage. This feud has bought some chilly reactions within the constructing for weekly TV; I feel the Hammerstein Collision phase rehabbed this a bit.
MJF attacked Cole’s ankle early earlier than Cole posted MJF to attract blood. I’m not somebody who harps about “correct” limb promoting, however Cole stopped promoting his leg till he had tofor the match. “Evil” Matt Taven and MIke Bennett had been at ringside to maintain MJF from utilizing the ring, however MJF used an Eddie Guerrero-esque faux bump on the ring apron to get them ejected by kayfabe’s dumbest ref, Bryce Remsburg. MJF bought a low blow earlier than Cole may punch MJF with the ring, after which the Heatseeker for the win. After, MJF will get cornered within the ring by Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Robust, who lay out MJF and arrange Cole hitting MJF with the ring (to no response, after the group was fairly responsive all through). We finish with a reunited Undisputed Kingdom.
This match didn’t suck. It wasn’t nice and even significantly good. This seems like as a lot a gentleman’s three as you’ll ever see. ***
I can solely hope that that is the tip of this feud and we get MJF to make use of his expertise in one thing that doesn’t contain Adam Cole.
Go well with: This feud has been ice chilly, overlong, and will have killed AEW enterprise up up to now. However god bless these two, they got here out right here to kick one another’s asses and bleed in every single place. These two dragged this into being a ok match, with MJF working Cole’s ankle and Cole engaged on MJF’s bloody head. MJF baited the referee into throwing Bennett and Taven out from ringside guard of the ring. Cole bought his palms on the ring whereas the ref had his again turned, however MJF booted him within the nuts and hit the Heatseeker piledriver for the win. After the match, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Robust got here out and pinballed MJF earlier than Cole knocked him out with the ring. The Undisputed Kingdom in full* celebrated to finish the phase. (*The a part of Wardlow will now be performed by Kyle O’Reilly.)
Guys…I feel we’re executed right here? MJF gained the ring, the Kingdom bought their payback, and there have been no silly turns to lengthen this factor. I feel that is executed! I feel we gained! I gotta be sincere, this was good. It could’ve been higher a yr and a half in the past, however I’ll gotta name it like I see it. They overperformed my very low expectations. ****
AEW Worldwide Championship
Konosuke Takeshita © def. Powerhouse Hobbs
Fred: This match was constructed across the knee harm that Hobbs is coming back from. Takeshita’s offense was way more methodical than he often is, which made sense throughout the construction of the match. There was a botch the place Takeshita went for a superplex however each slipped off. Unexpectedly, I feel this bought the group extra invested within the match. Hobbs hit some actually spectacular energy strikes on this, as you’ll anticipate, together with a powerslam off the highest rope for a hell of a close to fall. Takeshita gained this cleanly with a Raging Fireplace in a closing sequence by him simply kicking Hobbs within the knee. Lots of enjoyable from a really effectively structured match. ****
Go well with: This match is considered one of my favourite sorts of matches, ones that begin sluggish however get the group invested over the course of the match. The group wasn’t scorching for it as a result of this feud was unique to the weekend reveals, and it began with slowly as Takeshita labored over Hobbs’ leg. However the crowd bought again into it as Hobbs made his comeback. There was a slip-up on the turnbuckles as Takeshita maneuvered right into a superplex, however that really labored to get the group much more invested as Hobbs bought the knee in response. Takeshita hit his superplex, however Hobbs got here again later with a powerslam off the highest rope. There was a terrific one-count kickout and nearfall for Hobbs, however Takeshita choked out Hobbs and hit the Raging Fireplace for the win.
This match was excellent, and I feel these two have a terrific match in them. Give them a number of extra minutes and a stronger back-and-forth end. I’m all in on Hobbs going into 2025, and I feel he must be a featured a part of the scene subsequent yr. ****1/4
AEW TBS Championship
Mercedes Mone © def. Kris Statlander
Fred: If this had been nearly as good as the primary one, it could be a blast.
This was higher than the primary one.
This was a brilliant hard-hitting match, with Kris Statlander positioned as a Frankenstein-level monster that simply couldn’t be put down. I’ve been down on the early returns of Mercedes Mone, however the previous few months her in-ring performances have been on the vital stage. I solely want she would come off extra pure along with her promos, they usually felt much less like segments transplanted from WWE TV. I hope we get one other rematch sooner somewhat than later. ****1/2
Go well with: Do you know that this was solely Mercedes Mone’s 20th match since leaving WWE in 2022? She had 5 matches in New Japan in 2023 earlier than breaking her ankle and having to sit down out one other yr. Mone began off slowly in AEW, however was that only a unhealthy mixture of excessive expectations and ring rust collected over two years? As a result of after the final month of performances in AEW and New Japan, I’m able to say Mercedes Mone is again.
This match did such a terrific job of constructing Statlander as a monster that Mone needed to survive. The sequence on the ground with Mone repeatedly breaking the depend to do extra injury to Statlander to maintain her down, peaking with the Rattlesnake Killer piledriver on the apron, was such a unbelievable manner of displaying Statlander’s coronary heart as she fought again with one boot on after Mone caught the opposite one within the ring body. Statlander tried to steal Mone’s end from Full Gear by whipping her into the ropes, however Mone countered out of it and pinned Statlander along with her former Greatest Buddy Wheeler Yuta’s Seatbelt pin. A unbelievable match, on par with the Full Gear match, and one which retains Statlander scorching regardless of taking a clear pin. ****1/2
Continental Basic Finals
Kazuchika Okada def. Will Ospreay
Fred: Congratulations to Will Ospreay on surviving the Revolutionary Conflict to make it to this match.
I cherished the construction of this match, with Okada simply being a complete cocky bully dominating the exhausted and crushed Ospreay. I cherished Will no promoting an ideal dropkick solely to springboard into one other, in addition to the Tiger Driver being countered right into a Rainmaker. The change from “Okada is controlling this with minimal effort” to “these two are going for each massive transfer they will to desperately end this” was sudden and excellent. Okada lastly bought a Rainmaker for the pinfall. If you happen to didn’t adore this, I can’t think about what you want in professional wrestling. ****3/4
After the match, Christopher Daniels introduced he couldn’t current the Continental Championship to Okada as he was now not an EVP. Kenny Omega then got here out and handed the belt to Okada. Hopefully, this units up a rematch between the 2, and a greater second yr for Okada than his first.
Go well with: Okada cemented his standing as the best match wrestler of all time by beating Will Ospreay to win the Continental Basic and retain the Continental Title. Will Ospreay, promoting the injury from a bloody brawl earlier within the evening, is a greater professional wrestler than 95% of wrestlers which have ever lived. He had this crowd within the palm of his palms, dwelling and dying with each transfer he pulled off in opposition to Okada, who appeared comparatively contemporary whereas Ospreay appeared like he had gotten shot popping out of the tunnel.
Okada was clear and cocky, wiping his forehead with the bloody gauze that held Ospreay’s head collectively and carrying the bandage like an armband. Ospreay’s gasoline tank was empty, however he stored preventing again. The group was alive for this match from the bell, and for the primary time in a very long time, Okada felt like THE RAINMAKER. He stepped his recreation up and had a G1 Last worthy match on this C2 Last. That they had an unbelievable closing stretch, with Ospreay’s final gasp flurry ended with a countered Stormbreaker. Okada shut Ospreay down with a Rainmaker to win the match and win his fifth worldwide match, an accolade AEW had been pushing since they introduced the match.
After the match, Vice Principal Christopher Daniels walked out. He stated that whereas he would current Okada together with his title, he couldn’t do this as a result of his tenure as Interim EVP had come to an finish. He welcomed Kenny Omega again to AEW, who got here out in a swimsuit handy Okada the Continental Title. That they had a protracted staredown earlier than Omega left, with Okada left within the ring staring on the All In: Texas signal within the crowd. I imagine they name that foreshadowing.
These are the matches and the moments which have AEW followers maintain this promotion to absolutely the highest requirements. As a result of while you strip away the bullshit of what American skilled wrestling has been for 30 years and current a contemporary, high-level product with contemporary, high-level stars, you will get a product higher than something this nation has ever seen. We as followers can not enable the requirements to fall. We can not settle for something lower than greatness. As a result of as this firm reveals many times, this promotion can produce absolute greatness. *****
AEW World Championship
Jon Moxley © def. Orange Cassidy, Hangman Web page & Jay White
Fred: I feel it’s not a robust take that the Dying Riders storyline has faltered out of the gate. There’s three challengers, who I assume are all babyfaces although it’s exhausting to inform with Hangman. The doubtless story we’re going to get is that the challengers will tease working as a united entrance, however they’ll be too dumb and too egocentric to have the ability to coexist. The historical past of profitable babyfaces portrayed as idiotic is a brief one. Let’s hope the historical past of this match construction is subversed.
One way or the other, this match fell in need of my worst expectations. The motion on this was restricted, with the vast majority of it being the anticipated story of AEW being represented by the stupidest individuals alive. Moxley gained this after a bunch of Dying Riders interference, and no push again from anybody related to the challengers or AEW itself. I abhorred this. This may be my worst match of the yr. DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD DUD END THIS STORYLINE DUD DUD DUD
After the match, the Dying Riders went to do a beat down, however FTR & the returning Adam Copeland got here out for the save. Copeland is ready up as the subsequent massive challenger to Mox. Oh boy.
This Dying Riders storyline has been an utter failure. This firm managed to comply with a high of the cardboard “evil heels need to destroy the corporate AEW by profitable matches, which isn’t solely excellent but in addition completely effective (please cease asking about how our firm is, it’s effective), and it’ll take six months for any babyfaces to not be fully inept to cease them” storyline with the very same factor, solely with a truck as an alternative of fits. Now the defender of AEW’s soul is a man who has spent fifteen months right here after 27 years (together with the pressured retirement) within the different place.
Don’t fear – we’ve realized that after AEW has began a storyline within the higher a part of the cardboard, they’re actually incapable of stopping it early, so there’s no likelihood of a pivot earlier than its deliberate end in, I dunno, October 2025 for a short babyface run on high by Darby. Which, after all, will likely be adopted by a heel champion with a secure whose goal is to deliver AEW to its knees by profitable matches. AEW’s a automobile firm for some purpose, so possibly as an alternative of a truck, we’ll get the baddies driving to the ring in Energy Wheels like they’re within the “Unhealthy Man” music video. Yeesh.
Go well with: It could’ve been good if my massive salvo was for the primary occasion. This match was a effective little four-way, and the group nonetheless had some vitality for it, however it wasn’t a patch on the C2 Last. The large leaving level is that for the second of two title defenses, Wheeler Yuta saved Moxley on a nearfall and was the important thing determine in Moxley retaining the title. Jay White went on a giant run to finish the match, taking out Hangman, Cassidy, and Moxley with Blade Runners. Yuta hit the referee to interrupt the depend, resulting in White taking down Shafir with a Blade Runner when she tried to assault him from behind. Yuta got here in and hit the Busaiku Knee, permitting Moxley to win the match. Yuta is getting numerous warmth, and he’s notably concerned in these title defenses, so hold an eye fixed out for that as he might be getting a giant push out of this Dying Riders angle. ***1/2
After the match, the Dying Riders went to take out White when FTR got here out. FTR had been working an angle with the Dying Riders on TV to construct to the Battle For The Fallen Dynamite in Asheville, NC on January 1. The lights went out and Rated FTR popped up on the display screen, resulting in Adam Copeland making his return to the corporate for the primary time since Might. FTR took out Castagnoli and Yuta earlier than Copeland hit Moxley with a spear. Copeland stated that Rated FTR was coming to take every thing from the Dying Riders, and the large trios match was booked for Dynamite as Mox, Yuta, & Castagnoli will tackle Copeland and FTR. Christian Cage was in a skybox within the crowd for the primary occasion, and he appeared pissed at Copeland’s return.
This wasn’t as much as the extent of the Full Gear match, however the template was the identical, with a chaotic ending to the present to arrange the subsequent World Title challenger. Copeland is a stable choose as a veteran even to Moxley, and he can take a loss having simply come again. This hopefully burns off Christian’s World Title shot as effectively to clear that hanging thread out of the way in which. Whereas I’d have switched the order of the final two matches, I can’t argue with the logic of getting the large closing angle to steer into the large trios match on the primary simulcast Dynamite. One other wild end to a unbelievable AEW pay-per-view.